The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-11-16

from his sight forever Then he threw him
self INTO corner Of his cell dropping 10 Is
| kness. hiding hi face in his hands. His
powerful frame shook under the terrible
striin of the moment with conynisiv, -.,iss
| He Was writhing ia aguny For moments
lie remained in this attitude OF passionate
despair Then the relief came The great.
| strong man wept like child The sssecta-
tors stepped peverentiy aside before this great
| paroyysm of grief
Spies Engel and Fischer stepped from the
second tier cells to the scaffoid. The spec,a-
tors drew a long breath Parsons is
saved. the word that went around. but IL
was not 10 be. 4 second later Parsons APP
peared- The four men placed themselves on
! the trap
All we're gastly pale Spies hair seemed
TO literally stand upon end Engefs shonl-
| ders seemed nearly 10 touch the top Of his
/ head Parsons set his teeth iirmy together
and looked down calmly upon the crowd
beneath. His face is the face of a man of
iron. A murmer of admiration for his un-
| flinching nerve goes through the spectators
Engei turns around and says something in
an inaudible tone to the deputy Il is evil
| IDENTIFY ofa jocnlar character. for the con
demnesi man ,anghs heartily Fischer looks
at him moment and then he too, pats in a
remark. Spies and Parsons at either end of
the scafiold maintain solid and d:gniiied
| demeaiIor but there Is a look of nnuterable
woe upon the face of the ex-editor which
pierces the hearts of those surrounding the
! scaffold
The shrouds had already been adjusted be-
fore the men left their cells Nothing re-
mains but to encircle each neck with the
moose and to cover each head with the cap.
Jailer Folz approaches Spies A quick
movement, so quick that il can hardly be
noticed. and the rope is around his neck aud
being drawn taut The same woe-begone
look from the eyes FoIz moved step and
in moment the throat of Fischer is encir-
cled by the Moose. He moves his head up
and down as ifit bur, him. Engel does not
move as the operation is ceing performed
Parsons rivits his gaze on the ground and
his features are crontracted All four are
evidently determined to die game.
deputy approaches Spies with the cap
in his hand The condemned man saws
something in AN undertone. Heis evidently
demonstrating with the deputy who wavers
for moment. Spies speaks still more ear
nestly The deputy looks at the Sheriff
The latter closes his eyes Il is enough
The cap is quickly drawn over the face Of
4 e Anarchist leader 1t has been seen f,r
t!ie .lsi time in life. The head OF Engrl is
next covered. then Fischer. Parsons last
Fischers head moved up and down in the
direction of the Sheriff, who with his hands
II IN the iron railing Of the gallery. i re- "
To give the signal It's as though i'r ~
archisr, as well as he can in his muslin-cov-
cred head, is beckoning the Sheriff to ap-
proach him. That official. however. does
noi respond.
There IS moment of death-like stilli ss
then clear and distinct comes the voice of
Spies His form straightens up. The mus
lin seems 10 move in harmony with his
lips.
our silence is more powerful than
speech.
That is all. but there is a ring in il that
echoes far away down the corridor
Silence again for second Then, in a
round. full voice, shout, Hurrah for Anar-
chy comes from Engel
Another pause, broken this time by the
voice of Fischer This is the happiest mo-
ment of mp life He had had his say
Then the clear, well moulded voice Of
Parsons breaks the oppressive stiffness.
There is not that enthusiastic ring in it which
marked the utierance of the Others II is
the voice Of a judge delivering lecision-a
scarcely ydetinabIe pause between each word
Shall be allowed to speak oh men and
women of dear America
The Sheriff shifts his position little. lie
is several feet away from the speaker. but
the speaker must have seen the movement
through the folds of the cap. There is a
rising infection in his voice. not 50 much of
pleading of demand
Let me speak. Sheriff Malsen." is what
he says. Let the voice of the people be ]
heard"
Down went the drcp-the last words of |
Parsons had died upon his lips Four bodies
swung in empty air and the Haymarket
massacre was avenge
The drop fell at 1885 From the first 4
step of Spies upon the scatiold until the cut
ting of the rope precisely six minutes and I
three seconds bad elapsed. For moment /
after he drop had fallen not soul stirred {
\ low mumur ike pent up sigh OF relief 4
went through the corridor
Then, as ifmoved by one common impulse /
every man rose to his feet and every eye was /
rivited upon the body Of Spies. The arch
Anarchist was dying hard. His legs and /
arms moved convulsively. with exiraordi- /
nary rapidity il was as though he were
alive and conscious and struggling 10 free /
himself from the cords that bound him
His whole frame was aggiiated by a quiver-
ing tremor Low groans of horror came from
many lips and the expression e He's dying
hard was heard ON all sides Thi, contin-
ued for over a Ininute-an hour it seemed
and then the struggle grew fainter aud faint
er until they finally ceased.
The bodies of Engel and Fischer were mo-
tionless for a momenr after the drop, save
for the swinging to and fro. Then Fischer's
legs drew up and down and there was a con-
vulsiye movement of his arms Engers
struggles were brief. Parsons alone died as
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